And this is the news live from london coming up. At least two hundred People Killed in the southern philippines Tropical Storm unleashes deadly flash floods and mudslides. Ukraines president welcomes a u. S. Decision to supply it with lethal weapons but russia warns it will only fuel hostilities in the war torn east. Supporters of liberian president ial hopeful george where gather in the capital monrovia ahead of tuesdays president ial runoff. Mr meehan protesters clashed with Israeli Security forces in bethlehem as the fallout taber the u. S. Curiously move continues. And im standing in doha with the latest sports news top story barcelona will classico to all but and real madrids hopes of retaining the Spanish League title. Will begin in the philippines for at least two hundred people have died in flash floods and mudslides caused by Tropical Storm tembin most of the casualties are on the Southern Island of mindanao which is the philippines second largest dozens of people also missing with a search and rescue operation underway into his tired before. Flash floods and mudslides brought on by Tropical Storm the towns of. Mindanao island the philippines second largest have been devastated dozens of homes are destroyed and rescue workers fear the number of casualties will rise. We really want to go straight no and were trying to figure out what you have so many people that are really. At the height of the storm winds of up to eighty kilometers an hour uprooted trees and triggered torrents of mud and rock from a nearby mountain volunteers are digging with whatever they can to try and recover bodies power cuts and the loss of communication lines have hampered rescue efforts there either way theyre off theyre not in iraq and the areas pretty wide its not just in one province but in several provinces show were having a hard time getting them to communicate why there are areas that may have been affected last week forty six people were killed in the central philippines in a similar storm the philippines is hit by around two dozen major cyclons each year on average many of them deadly but mindanao island home to twenty Million People is rarely hit the region is still recovering from type which killed more than seven thousand people and affected millions in two thousand and thirteen and while the worst of storm tendon has passed it will take a long time before this area recovers indios time ill just. Describe how the victims of the flooding had nowhere to run yo. Houses were getting flooded but people could no longer exit the homes so they got trapped by the strong water as they were being swept away. And house this they used to be a hundred and three houses here but when the flash flood happened everything was washed out so thats what happened here only hollings and livelihoods gone and we have nine thousand families as of today that are affected and listed to be in our evacuation center. Russia has warned the u. S. Is encouraging new bloodshed in Eastern Ukraine by providing weapons to kiev the u. S. Says it will give you crane and hans defensive capabilities to defend against pro russian separatists the conflict in Eastern Ukraine has claimed more than ten thousand lives since twenty fourteen tomei common reports. Of missile strikes hit a small town in Eastern Ukraine damaging homes a school a Medical Clinic in ukraine blamed the attack this week on pro russian separatists civilians caught in the middle of a three year long conflict. The us has strongly opposed what he called russian aggression in Eastern Ukraine blaming the moscow government for violence that has claimed more than ten thousand lives and displaced one point seven Million People. Now it will provide weapons to help ukraine defend itself the state department announcing the u. S. Has decided to provide ukraine and hands defensive capabilities as part of our effort to help ukraine build its long term defense capacity to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity and to deter further aggression the forty seven Million Dollar weapon fagots which congress is expected to approve includes more than two hundred antitank missiles and thirty five launchers as well as light arms. U. S. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson has said russias occupation of crimea which the u. S. Wants to return to your grain is a major stumbling block in relations between moscow and washington the issue that stands in the way is ukraine. We can have differences in other arenas in syria we can have differences in other areas but when one country invades another that is a different set its hard to look past. Or to reconcile it with a disclaimer to russia for the very beginning that we must address ukraine it saying it stands as a single most difficult obstacle to renormalizing a relationship with russia which we badly would like to do he blames russia for continuing violence in the done yet region the Trump Administration decision marking a reversal from Barack Obamas resistance to supplying lethal equipment hell claim i think its not logical and size zero. Zero zero. Zero zero zero zero zero russia. Or. Rival. Segment of the public zero zero. One zero zero. And both of russias response a warning that the u. S. Decision will embolden key have in the conflict and only increased the use of force tom Ackerman Al Jazeera washington the russian president Vladimir Putin says moscow is not seeking conflict with anyone but will stand up for its interests cushions folk at a conference of the Ruling United Russia Party which has pledged its support to next years president ial election britain has registered as an independent candidate is expected to win a fourth term as president. Im joined now from washington by Robert Hunter hes a former u. S. Ambassador to nato and is a senior fellow now to John Hopkins University center for transatlantic Transatlantic Relations even sort out thanks very much for joining us i just want to get your reaction to this decision by the u. S. To start. Ukraine with what theyve discovered is enhanced defensive capabilities what do you make of it i think its about time there was an effort under president obama and under President Trump to see whether russia would stop where it was. And stop whats going on and and the dom boss but unfortunately russia and its satellites the people who do its bidding have constantly violated the cease fire constantly escalated their own military actions and i think it got to a point where the United States was saying all right we tried one thing we tried. Sweetness now were going to have to show a little bit of steel to russia and maybe get that muscle message what do you think its going to entail i mean some reports suggesting it could include things like antitank missiles if is that likely and if so how much would that change the balance of power on the ground there. Well i think the announcement has already included the idea of a number of added tanko weapons. I dont think theyre going to be decisive im not sure that what the russians are doing or and with its satellites its its a little green men really involves tanks particularly but this does show a willingness of the United States to stand up to the russians in an area where the agreement that is supposed to stop the fighting called minsk to a named after the capital of barrier was where it was signed other russians and their people are just violating them and i think this sends a very good signal that yes we can have negotiations on this and other things but at some point you cant just have it all your own way but now Russias Deputy foreign minister has already told russian state media that the decision as he put it raises the danger of directing the process of peaceful settlement in ukraine what do you think the russians will do as a result of this or of course i think thats the pot calling the kettle black because the russians are the one who been been escalating yes this could get out of control if people in that area who want to work on their own despite what moscow says will ask away or if mr putin decides to try to take on the president United States at a time when putin is running for reelection that i think id be stupid on their part it underscores the need for direct negotiation between the United States and russia to try to look at the overall relationship to try to get the fundamentals right which neither side has been prepared to do for quite some time i spent one of the problems of suppose that they have to deal with is that she russia still denying be a party to the conflict how do you get around that particular issue. Well. Its like the wizard of oz dont Pay Attention to the man behind the curtain of course the russians are behind it of course theyre supplying weapons of course they have their advisors there anybody who doesnt believe that believes as we say in america we believe in the tooth fairy whether that is something that mr putin is prepared to stop or not we will now find out what about though the europeans i mean weve had a bit of so where in this from some european leaders this move back on the french president saying that its theres no alternative to exclusively peaceful settlement of the conflict is there an anxiety that this action might not be helpful. Well i think. The United States also agrees there is nothing but a. Negotiated settlement there and i think some of the europeans are going to be anxious just as you mentioned of the germans and french in particular but its going to be important for the United States to work with them to say we have tried other things they havent work but we are prepared with you to enter into a negotiation with the russians as long as they are prepared to be serious if theyre not prepared to be serious what do you expect us to do when its necessary for us to reassure other countries that are nato members such as a stone a lot of fear and lithuania who are scared to death about what mr putin might do next so the french and germans can say that but thank you they also are going to have to recognise something has to be done to get mr putins attention and this is a very small step the americans have taken but i think its the right step well but i want to thank you very much indeed for your thoughts on the subject thank you you thank. Protesters have fought with Israeli Security forces in the town of bethlehem just two days before christmas theyre angry at u. S. President Donald Trumps decision to recognize jerusalem as israels capital is ready forces fired tear gas to try to disperse the crowd some of whom were dressed as santa claus human Rights Groups have called for the israeli authorities to stop using what they calling excessive force. Three palestinians have now died in the past two days after being shot by Israeli Forces a total of fourteen palestinians have been killed since the protests began on december the sixth malcolm webb has more from gaza. This is the fear. Im a bass in was out was the right people to die. For declaration on the sixth of the sand by the jerusalem will be recognized by the us was because. He was among the protesters who for three fridays in the way it was going through the release of the friends in the woods around. To demonstrate trying to pounce palestinian flags throw stones and the price just as each friday ive been met with some gunfire a little tear gas cry backed by the israelis. The stuff in the jerusalem deserves second fires from our people and we confirm that its our eternal capital and that neither traveller or anyone else can change that our people will continue fighting for our rights until we stablish our independent state of palestine with jerusalem as the capital of fittest and they are some of the show. Its no move for the political factions and o m wings to sponsor the funerals of the people that are being killed in the protests this one sponsored by the armed wing of fatah but no opportunities lost to make a political statement at a show of strength. The ministry of out says mood in ten people are being killed since the onrush began oh and no need is the opposed to any infractions of crude for the price s. To continue speaking just a short while ago here in gaza the leader of hamas. Was of the Palestinian Resistance in the right. Side so theres no sign of any political factions getting up anytime soon. Fighting political chief of hamas any a has condemned the u. S. Decision and says there could be more to come. Well. We have in summation from well informed sources that the American Administration could take new decisions on jerusalem and the palestinian cause for example acknowledging it as a jewish state and recognizing the an exception of settlements to jerusalem and to the socalled zionist entity they could also reject the palestinian demand for a right of return so to come when they honor their news hour the agonizing wait for reunions we meet the family stranded in greece who spent years apart from their loved ones in germany. Two football executives are found guilty of corruption in a case thats lifted the lid on illegal dealings within the sports world governing body. And coming up in sport make a successful start to that title defense of the gulf cup tell us more national. Liberias president ial candidate george ware is holding a rally for supporters ahead of tuesdays runoff vote his supporters marched through the capital monrovia ahead of a rally where a former world footballer of the year and the first round of polling in october with thirty eight percent of the vote his main challenger is the current Vice President joseph book i. Was delayed because of a Court Challenge on the third placed candidate. Has more from monrovia. It was so much and something to many people here in liberia. Even hoppen. Charles brahms the coming be took him in the foster round took them out that took hold alleging fraud. Will follow. Use of illegal votes whole Identity Cards in various polling stations across the country allegations that have been backed up by the current Vice President the man who is freezing george where the International Footballer for a footballer in the second round now will sort it out by the Supreme Court which made a decisive ruling thats been hailed as a sign. Liberias institutions are finally coming of age. Many people are eager to cast their votes elections before being organized by liberians since the civil war ended in two thousand and three and the frost going to see a civilian over to another civilian leader. In more than forty years two point one Million People expected to vote but its the timing that haas many but they could be up with the because it falls on boxing day and candidates have been trying to encourage their supporters to postpone christmas celebrations this come out in large numbers and vote. More necessity now to alex vines whos head of the Africa Program at the Chatham House think tank in london thanks very much for coming in so why is this election so. Whats the big deal about it its a massive deal because hasnt been a democratic peaceful transfer of power since one nine hundred forty four so this is a long time since liberias had a transition of presidencies in the p. Situation its been previously between conflict and peace for this first time that a new president will be appointed which is not in a conflict situation and what about the process itself do you think it is fair and transparent whats your confidence level on the on the concentration of the book one of my colleagues my deputy head of my program Elizabeth Donnelly was in liberia for the first round she was an election observer for the National Democratic institute right in one of the remote counties and she was really impressed and shes one of the number of elections and said it was a very credible process of course very difficult the logistics were overstretched it was very rudimentary but it was impressive so i think but has worn well for the elections that are going to happen on the twenty sixth of december in particular also that the this did go to the Supreme Court there was a challenge by the third president ial candidate and i think thats now been resolved so between the two candidates if they spend one of the big issues that people talk about is the need to tackle corruption how much of a Different Program would they have to to deal with that well i mean corruption unfortunately is very pervasive in liberia and nobody denies that i myself have worked and lived there. Its going to be a big challenge for whoever is the next president to try and attract more Business Investment the reality is that liberias economy is very. Very in the performing at the moment because of the decline of Commodity Prices and many liberi